MA Philosophy

Summary

The MA Philosophy programme at NCH provides a rigorous and wide-ranging programme relevant both to those entering formal philosophical study as graduates of other disciplines and to philosophy graduates seeking to consolidate and expand their studies.

NCH, with its lively and inter-disciplinary research culture and faculty including the philosophers A C Grayling, Simon Blackburn, Daniel Dennett, and Peter Singer, small-group seminars conducive to stimulating debate, and focused supervisions, offers a distinctive environment which is exceptionally conducive to the successful study of philosophy at PhD level.

Teaching & learning

The MA Philosophy will be delivered predominantly through seminars, of five to 15 students, and individual tutorials.

Students who are enrolled full-time should anticipate devoting approximately 35-40 hours per week to their studies for the duration of their degree. In Michaelmas and Hilary terms, this will include approximately six to seven formal contact hours per week, with the remainder consisting of structured independent study.

Independent study primarily comprises preparing both formative and summative work, though it may also include participation in Philosophy Society meetings, Philosophy Research seminars, and professorial lectures. In Trinity term, students predominantly work independently to write their dissertations.

Assessment

Summative assessment for the MA Philosophy will be by a range of essays and seminar presentations; assessment of some courses may include an exam. Students will also be assessed on a dissertation of 10,000 – 15,000- words.

Your qualification

New College of the Humanities’ degrees have been designed and created by the College’s world-class professors and faculty. The courses reflect their areas of expertise and research interests, meaning that they are strongly engaged with the material that they will teach you, and there may be opportunities for students to participate in active research.

In the case of the MA Philosophy, the curriculum has been overseen and developed by Dr Naomi Goulder BA, MA (Cantab), PhD (Lond), Head of Philosophy Faculty & Senior Lecturer in Philosophy.